Preliminary study on the effect of caspase-6 and calpain inhibitors on postmortem proteolysis of myofibrillar proteins in chicken breast muscle

Meat Sci. 2012 Mar;90(3):536-42. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2011.09.004. Epub 2011 Sep 14.

Abstract

The objective was to determine the effect of three different protease inhibitors, caspase-6 specific inhibitor VEID-CHO (N-Acetyl-Val-Glu-Ile-Asp-al), calpain inhibitor leupeptin or calpain inhibitor EGTA on protein degradation, ultrastructure of myofibrils and calpain activity during postmortem (PM) aging of chicken muscle. Results showed that proteolysis of nebulin, troponin-T and desmin during 14-days postmortem storage were inhibited significantly by leupeptin. Inhibitive effects of VEID-CHO and EGTA on these protein degradations were significant only during 1-day postmortem storage. The activities of calpains were inhibited noticeably by leupeptin and EGTA, but not by VEID-CHO. Samples treated with VEID-CHO, leupeptin and EGTA retarded structural disruption of chicken muscle fibers. These results demonstrate that calpain is a major contributor to PM tenderization; while caspase-6 plays, if any, a minimal role in the conversion of chicken muscle to meat.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caspase Inhibitors*
  • Chickens
  • Desmin / metabolism
  • Egtazic Acid / metabolism
  • Glycoproteins / pharmacology*
  • Leupeptins / metabolism
  • Meat*
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism
  • Myofibrils / metabolism*
  • Myofibrils / ultrastructure
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology
  • Pectoralis Muscles / drug effects*
  • Pectoralis Muscles / metabolism
  • Postmortem Changes
  • Proteolysis / drug effects*
  • Troponin T / metabolism

Substances

  • Caspase Inhibitors
  • Desmin
  • Glycoproteins
  • Leupeptins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Oligopeptides
  • Troponin T
  • acetyl-valyl-isoleucyl-aspartyl-aldehyde
  • calpain inhibitors
  • nebulin
  • Egtazic Acid
  • leupeptin